A Thankless Job
It was Friday afternoon and the school was almost cleared of all students. I was making my usual rounds in the building when all of a sudden my radio crackled uncontrollably.
“Mr. Austria please come to the main entrance immediately,” said the Security Officer hurriedly.
I knew that something was up. I sprinted through the hallway and made it to the main entrance in record time. Still panting from my mad dash, I asked the Security Officer what was up. He pointed to the huge student crowd who gathered just a few feet away from the main door.
The other Security Officer, along with some of the teachers were already present. Everyone who gathered had their gaze fixed towards the east. I looked at the same direction where every one was looking and I saw ten Middle School students from the other neighboring school coming towards our school grounds. Behind the girls were other children and teenagers from the neighborhood.
While the other kids didn’t appear as if they were with the ten girls, you can see their excitement on what’s about to happen.
I immediately asked one of the Security Officer if the Police had been notified. He said, Yes! But of course, they had more pressing things to deal with than just an after-school Middle School rumble.
Based on the information that was communicated to me, these ten girls were coming to our school to beat up one of our students. Great!
Sometimes even if you try your best to avoid violence, violence will come looking for you.
I told a couple of the teachers to bring the students who were waiting outside back to the cafeteria. I also instructed them to make sure that they don’t let Susie, the intended target, out of the building.
Since our school building is adjacent to a church, I was hoping that divine intervention would come down and help me out so that no single child would get hurt.
I knew it would be easy for me to control our own students, but the children who trespassed on our school grounds were from a different school. I had no jurisdiction over them. I knew however that as soon as they cross the street, they were on our school grounds and that made all the difference.
Along with one of the security guard, we stopped the ten girls from coming close to our school gate.
“How you guys doing? Can I help you with something?” I greeted.
One of the girls looked at me as if I was high on crack. Another girl from the back yelled and said, “Get that ho bitch Susie out here so that we can get this thing over with.”
As soon as she finished her statement, the teenagers from the area started cheering and screaming.
I smiled and said to them, “Ladies, Susie already, left so why don’t you guys go home to and start doing your homework.”
“Shiiiiit mutha fucka, you getcha ass home and do your homework, ya skinny as mutha fucka,” one of them responded. Another loud cheer and screams ensued accompanied by multiple high fives.
Then as I was about to respond back, I spied one of the girls on the side putting her hand on her back pocket. I stared at her and she stared back. I have seen that look before and it never changes. Usually the ones who never say anything are the ones who strike first.
At that moment, I yearned for the police to arrive, but no such luck. I knew that what ever happens, even if I was defending myself, I would end up being at the losing end. After all, they were all children, all under fifteen years old.
One of our students who somehow managed to stay outside yelled, “Hey Mr. Austria, why don’t you use your Taekwondo on them?”
As soon as he finished, some of the neighborhood kids started making karate noises and making martial arts gestures with their hands and legs. More laughter followed.
The girls who came for a fight were not amused. They wanted blood.
“Move bitch and let Susie out here!”
By this time, I’ve been called all the names imaginable. I was reaching my boiling point. I kept my composure and I made sure that my hands were always visible to them with my palms facing their direction. I wanted to make sure that they knew that I wasn’t a threat and that I wasn’t going to do anything to hurt them.
I told them that they can’t continue to use profanity on our school grounds. Besides, I also brought it to their attention that they are in front of a church and that they should be more respectful. I added that if they can’t respect me, at least they should show respect to the house of God.
Nice try on my part but it didn’t work.
The girls continued to talk like drunken sailors. I stood in front of them and urged them to stop and to go home, still they refused to leave. When all my pleadings didn’t work, I finally told them that the Police are coming and that as soon as the paddy wagon arrives I will make sure that I will file a trespassing case against every single one of them.
Those girls were tough but none of them want to spend a weekend in jail. With this realization, they started walking back and my security officer and I started to walk with them. As they crossed the street, they started throwing verbal insults my way. I continued to smile and I yelled back, “have a great weekend.”
“Your next mutha fucka!” One of them yelled back.
Yeah, like I never heard that one before. I looked at my Security Officer and I said, “wheh, that was close…just another day at the office, huh?”
He didn’t say anything. He just looked at me and gave me a quick what a relief smile.
“Man, why didn’t I take my mother’s advice and became a doctor.” I said.
My Security Officer stopped, looked at me and burst out laughing.
